Tag: Art

I have been in love with the latest surge of Street Art across India and I am extremely happy that the concept has finally made it’s way into a Five Star property, namely The Playground @ JW Marriot, Aerocity.

The Food Truck at the entrance of the restaurant reminiscent of the movie ‘Chef’ and Jon Favreau’s eclectic cooking style greets you as you walk towards the restaurant. Yogesh Saini, the brain behind Delhi Street Art has engineered the graffiti for Playground and has also decorated the truck along with the interior walls inside the restaurant.

As you enter the alfresco style lounge bar stocked with the finest spirits of the world, you can see a – reflection of the hotel’s sensibilities; comfort, style and a sense of grandeur. And of course the hidden gem so to say, is provided by the elusive Speakeasy. Partially hidden behind street art, this members’ only lounge houses coveted bottles and niche spaces. Mood lighting, luxurious interiors, wood paneling and handcrafted leather loungers from Timothy Oulton set the Speakeasy apart from the rest of the property. With its carefully curated bar menu and cocktails which highlight handpicked ingredients, the bar features some of the best single malts in the city.

Redefining nightlife at Delhi-NCR, JW Marriott Aerocity has successfully created an amalgamation of gastronomic wonder and luxurious interiors, while focusing on the preferences of its patrons and marking a new step in the hospitality sector in the country.

Choosing Art work for the house can seem like a very daunting experience. Especially since art is an expensive investment and a very impactful one at that. Noone wants to make the wrong desicion. Here we have a few people from the team of Small luxury hotels of the World (SLH) give us tips on how we can choose the right art work for our house, particularly the living and bedroom.

“The moment they step into the lobby here at Pudi Boutique Hotel, guests feel as if they are staying in an art gallery. We mix oil paintings and sculpture from young Chinese artists with a modern style. Guests may purchase these art works and take them home to add to their own collection. A few tips I’d offer when choosing art for your own home – choose a painting the width of your mattress to hang over your bed for dramatic effect in the bedroom – pick out colours from the painting in your cushions and bedding too. It is well worth investing in special lighting to highlight your artwork. And I like to choose one colouras a central theme and select pieces incorporating this colour to draw my whole art collection together – at Pudi Boutique Hotel red copper is featured in most of our artwork to add a strongShanghai feel.”

“In the bedroom you can use symmetry for maximum impact with matching lamps and cushions and a bigger bed head or panel with a horizontal frame to create a dramatic and stylish effect. Use neutral colours throughout with a pop of colour in each piece of artwork to make it stand out. It’s also effective to use one theme (like a region, or era – here at The George our themes include iconic images of our city in the guest rooms and NZ artists throughout the hotel) and then have different types of artwork based on the same theme including photography and pieces from different artists throughout your home. Choose matching frames in a row to pull your artwork together and use spotlighting to highlight each piece.”

To check out more tips on how to create hotel style at your home click here

What If you see a building or a house which is upside down? Strange right? You’ll be amazed to know about some extraordinary and odd architectural buildings. And naturally the question pops up, how did they manage to do it?The Crooked house, Sopot, PolandDancing Building, prague, Czech RepublicThe Hole House, Texas, USAUpside down house, Szymbark, PolandThe Basket Building, Ohio, USA

The New York styled loft ambiance of Hungry Monkey; bare brick walls, concrete floors, the MS installations and the elegant wooden interiors come together in perfect synchrony to create an intriguing industrial feel. The creative typography of quotes on the walls, crafted using carefully chosen fonts are a perfect match to the stylish vibe of the restaurant. Already curious? Well, ‘curiosity is the beginning of adventure‘, is exactly what the walls of The Hungry Monkey tell you.With a faint old school meets new age magnetism, numerous little elements like encyclopaedias stacked on shelves, a vintage hour glass, Edison light bulbs and the rich brown of the wood everywhere bring to life these very stories.

Inspired by sunny California, The Hungry Monkey introduces the city to ‘California cuisine’, which many may not be well-versed with, but worth a try. An out of the box offering, the restaurant brings you a rendition of varied dishes from the European culture with a unique twist of fusion. Even the “Flying Brunch” is a step away from the usual. After you pick your salad from the display, you get small quantity main dishes delivered to your table and you can pick and choose the ones you want to have or repeat. The Hungry Monkey offers an eclectic menu which focuses on a global palate, through a surprising fusion of flavours combined with fresh produce from organic farms like ‘Farmlove’, a pioneer in organic food in the capital. Dig into the Cold Spinach Gomae or relish the signature Bang-Bang Chicken Rolls. For the adventurous souls, the Expresso Pan Fried Chicken made with a light coffee sauce or the Asian Honey and Soy braised Pork Ribs served with Kimchi on the side are the perfect indulgent picks from the menu. While the Smoked Salmon Carpaccio is a succulent fusion of flavours, the White Chocolate Parfait with almond and vanilla filo pastry cigar along with Coconut French Toast leaves a lasting impression.

The bar’s hexagonal chemical bond inspired display itself has been designed personally by the owners who have left no stone unturned to bring you an exciting array of drinks. Always innovative in its ways, The Hungry Monkey serves its signature cocktails, the Old-Fashioned and the Manhattan, classic as well as smoked. The bar here easily boasts of a selection of delightful and many a times ‘difficult to spot in this city’ liquor. Apart from popular modern cocktails, be assured to also come across beautifully infused renditions of the classics.

Fountains have always been used as an accessory to decorate and embellish outdoor spaces. Water becomes an artistic form of expression as it dances over sculptures and skylines. Find here a few of our selections which continue to attract millions of tourists with their spectacular light and water shows, or just with their unique design, see how many you recognize, if not time to revamp your bucket list

We know some great sculptures all around the world which are part of the history including the Roman and Greek Empires. Sculptures are known for decoration or entertain the on lookers but they are also the symbols of development of a culture. These sculptures as we know came through the minds of the sculptor’s who wants to express their thoughts and ideas while experimenting with different forms and materials.Here are few incredible and unique artworks that have been made to decorate streets, squares and towns across the globe which are so creative that you can get inspired to the core of your heart.

SINKING BUILDING- OUTSIDE STATE LIBRARY, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

SALMON SCULPTURE, PORTLAND, OREGON, USA

MUSTANGS BY ROBERT GLEN IRVING, TEXAS, USA

DE VAARTKAPOEN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

NELSON MANDELA, SOUTH AFRICA

So if you know about or have seen some such amazing sculptures, do leave a comment with a link, will add to the post..
Inputs from various online sites

Le Méridien was founded by Air France in 1972 a leader in design and innovation at that time, with the first hotel, the 1,000 room Le Méridien Etoile in Paris. The original concept was to provide a “home outside of home for Air France passengers” which led to a presence of Le Méridien in the world’s primary and international cities, as well as exotic resort locales in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Le Méridien’s ARRIVAL Experience commences from the moment guests arrive at the hotel door steps until they have opened the door to their guest room. It was curated by the brand’s Cultural Curator Jérôme Sans and engaged a range of LM100™; a group of cultural innovators. Current LM100 members include Le Méridien Cultural Curator, Jerome Sans; world renowned artists Sam Samore, Joan Fontcuberta, Younès Rahmoun, Youssef Nabil, and Michael Lin; contemporary Chinese artists Chen Wenbo, Yan Lei, An Xiaotong; award winning photographer, Ralph Gibson to name a few.

Transforming the guest experience:Based on proprietary Starwood research that showed that the first 10 minutes sets a guest’s mind for the rest of the stay, Le Méridien identified 4 signature moments to make the guest’s Arrival experience memorable and special.a) Artwork on the doors– Right upon Arrival the entry door was considered as a canvas and 40+ artworks have been created for the brand by numerous established and emerging LM100 artists around the globe.b) Unique Atmosphere- A unique atmosphere has been created including the signature scent created by New York perfumery Le Labo, called LM01, a signature soundtrack, and a lighting ceremony (created by each hotel) to celebrate the transition from day to night.c) UNLOCK ARTTM At check-in the guest receives an artist-designed key card that serve as pieces of artwork themselves. The hotel keycard is created by a contemporary artist and is intended to become a collector’s item. The program, called UNLOCK ART™ in addition consists of unique partnerships to provide guests with complimentary access to contemporary cultural centers around the world,including San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Centre for the Arts, Shanghai’s Museum of Contemporary Arts and a lot more.d) Soundscape in the elevator- Le Méridien has transformed the expected and mundane event of riding an elevator into an “Elevated Experience” through a unique 24 hour soundscape. Le Méridien has appointed Henri Scars Struck, an LM100 member and the visionary Grammy-winning French composer/producer, to create this soundscape for Le Méridien hotels globally.

Le Meridien Delhi sees the work of ‘Thukral & Tagra’ who have created a walking interactive experience piece through the lobby. When people walk, the floor becomes animated by a crowd of characters that immediately surround you and follow you on your journey. When you stop, they stop. If you start to walk again, they follow you. These characters are elements of the artists’ vocabulary that you find in all their paintings and other works. They are characters or idioms from global lifestyle, contemporary culture, communication, transportation, music, health and nature. Contemporary culture as a culture of signs. Pop signs. Signs of the time.’

LE MERIDIEN’S LOBBIES WILL THE BECOME THE GATHERING PLACE FOR CREATIVE MINDS, NAMED “THE HUB”-Le Méridien aims to become the gathering place for creative minds by providing a space that encourages dialogue, awakens curiosity, stimulated thinking through physical + human components in the space. The environment of the hub will consist of curated contemporary art in high impact areas (graphic, sound, video), unique seating, styling, F+B component with coffee at its center and trained Baristas are the core component of Le Meridien’s Hub.

I came across Dangerdust online while I was reading some trending articles and had to share with you guys. I am awe-struck (not an easy feat) by this amazingly beautiful creative art display. See for yourself!!

Going by the name Dangerdust, these two students sneak into the classroom and come up with these creative art works made of chalk on Boards. The pair are seniors in Advertising & Graphic Design at Columbus College of Art and Design and prefer to remain anonymous, though they claim most of their class mates know who they are! The duo search for a vacant classroom, a quote from either Google search or friends and lots of chalk and the result is for all to see.

As I always say, art in any form is the best way to get people across countries, race and cultures together! Here is to this dynamic duo, cannot wait to see more of their work in the next semester. And hopefully even more such work once they graduate.

The Floodlight Foundation aims at driving a cultural change by removing artworks from traditional settings of museums and galleries and bringing it to more accessible areas, so people can freely engage with art, without private sector pressures of sale or public sector limitations. This month they bring us “Beauty in the Beast” an exhibition curated by Surbhi Modi at Alliance Francaise De Delhi on 29th April 6-9 pm and 30th April 10 am-7 pm.

“I believe in deeply ordered chaos”- Francis Bacon
Beauty in the Beast stands to celebrate Bacon’s notion of “ordered chaos” where the aesthetic and anaesthetic are constantly at odds. In a spin off from a Shrek like fairy tale, “Beauty in the Beast” celebrates and brazenly glorifies the grotesque. They bring us artists like Anant Mishra whose drawings meander between dualities of human and animal, arrogating mythical beasts to Bhuwal Prasad’s vibrant, anarchic canvases that exhort images of familiar haze.Then there is Hibzul Sheikh who contemporises Greek, Indian and Roman mythological characters and Arun Pandit who uses fibre and bronze to create powerful sculptures on socio-political issues. They also have artists like Abhijit Pathak, Nayanna Kanoria, Rajesh Srivastava and Mangesh Rajguru. “By bringing together these provocative works, we hope to push the envelope of what is acceptable and help draw attention to these bold artists,” says Surbhi Modi.

It definitely sound interesting and thought provoking. So do try to come by either on 29th April 6-9 pm or 30th April 10 am- 7 pm at Alliance Francaise De Delhi and be mesmerized.

To every fortress, there is The Big Door!Aptly named, the recently launched store in Mumbai infuses the best of Indian jewellery, handcrafted home decor and heritage collectibles; The Big Door is an effort to make art and grandeur a part of your life. Spread across an area of 7500 sq. ft., each piece here is created exclusively and can be customized. And while the jewellery and interiors transport you to a richness of the Indian past, you will find that these magnificent pieces of art don’t demand atrocious prices and at the same time retain the desired value. Presented by Vivek Gupta and Sunita Gupta, a couple with a love for Indian heritage products, the store is located at the foot of Pali Hill and has been founded through the guidance and support of Sheeldhar Pande and Alok Mantri, promoters of Lifetime Group.

The Big Door will house Mughal, Nizam and Rajput inspired jewellery from Ravi Jewels, Jaipur. Ravi Jewels is eponymously named after Ravi Ajmera, who hails from a family that has over three generations of experience in the craft of fine jewellery. Ranging from precious and semi-precious jewellery, set in gold, silver and silver- gold plated metal, to Victorian, polkis and jadau pieces, each of these mesmerizing creations is unique and design oriented. Extend your style statement to your abode, by visiting the interiors section of The Big Door! Each creation is a conversation piece sourced from all across the country and is the product of the aesthetic sensibility of Hemant Periwal who established Mayur Arts in Udaipur. Every home will have a story to tell when adorned with pure silver furniture inspired from the Raj period, marble fountains and jalis, traditional pichwai from Rajasthan, bronze work from South India, Persian calligraphic fauna, antiques and intricate woodwork. At The Big Door, you can have anything that your heart desires – even the ceiling with mirror-work and miniatures can be yours!

The significance of The Big Door harks back to the idea of an auspicious passage into a fortress, in this case a fortress of beauty. The logo for The Big Door is a blend of Indian motifs and is called The Conchflower. The Conchflower is inspired by the first greeting of welcome in any Indian household – the rangoli. Within its curves are the auspicious conch and a swastika.The collector’s items at The Big Door weave hidden tales, just like the logo. Let the designs do the talking as you indulge in some opulence. Look out for this brand new store in Khar and experience the richness of Indian heritage right at your doorstep!